Feeding device for birds



' readily devised;

invention in perspective.

of the parts thereof.

Patented July 13, 1926.

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Application nl uanu r 'aag' aat Serial 1N6. 688,859.

This invention relates to feeding devices. It pertains more particularly to a device for holding suet and like materials for feeding birds during the winter season.

An object of the invention is thatof providing a device of the nature described in which the feeding material will be 'firmly held in feeding position so as to be'readily reached by the birds and from which it izgngot be removed birdsfofthe thieving n Another object, and'an important one, is to furnisha device including a foraminous' material for snugly and firmly holding suet or other similar type offeeding material and so devised that birds may cling to and feed through said foraminous material, andthat the latter will follow the said feeding material as it is consumed,permittingithe birds to always'reach the foodthusprovided;

Still another object is toso construct a device of this nature that a'weighted grating or netting serving-toconfinethe feeding material will be caused'to follow the surface of the constantly recedin material, as consumed, so that birds' fee ing throughsuch grating or netting canreach every of such'material until all is remove To a the end that the invention may be readily understood, the accompanying drawings are provided showing'two of the formsof the invention, though other forms having the same objects in view may be Figure 1 shows one the 'formi of the Figure 2"is a side elevation of the' same in one of its positions in holding the; feed- 1n material,

igure 3 is also aside elevation of the sameform" showing anotherof the positions F'gure 4 is a plan of a bailused withthe devicelof my invention shown in the figures just described. r r

Figure 5 showsin" perspective the rela-v It is customary, especially in the winter feeding of birds, to tie pieces offat or suet 'me'shes of said basket, It is my purpose,

as stated.

portion bon is straight throughout the bent out' of planefof the latter asat 5 [and a are adapted to be secured toa support. 7

deal movementon said ribbon.

to trees'andother kinds of supports from i I which blIdSlOf certain kinds readily feed, but 1t is often necessary, in ordertobe enabled to reach the material, to rest upon it.

,An insecure: footing is afforded, however,

and some birds seemto avoid clinging-to the fatty substance. 1 The devices herein to be described, or

equivalents thereof, have been provided for holding the materialin a firm manner and does notrequire'the birds-to cling to it and ]yet it may be readily'fed from'and can always be reached in any stageof its consumption, in addition-to which; it cannot be re;

moved by largebirds such as the jay bird. I 'am' aware that a wire basket has been used for holding suet'but when the material 3 a has been partly consumed it: becomes more and moredifiicult to v reach it through the therefore, to soprovide aidevicethat the birds can freely reach the suet at all times In "the first five figures is a. board which preferably has a groove 2 in'its rear side'extending longitudinally thereof to re-*-{ ceiveoa' metal ribbon 3 constructed, for example," as shown. That is to say, said rib-. I

eaterportion of its length and'lies in said groove 2,

'beingreta-ined therein by staples. driven into the board, but one of which is shown, clear- 1y, in-Figure' 5, these permitting the-:ribhem and board to have 'freemovement relatively, The extremitiesof the ribbonare by nails or screws'6, for example, the board being permitted, therefore,'to have freeveroo A protecting roof portion is'preferably' provided which consist ofa board 8 having I ametal loop 9, such asa'screw-eye, secured in one of its edges to engage over the upper end of the ribbon-3,:Figure 5, while near the opposite. edge, on its under surfacefl there is hingedly attached asectionof wire netting such as what is known as hardware cloth whose meshes are preferably about one-half inch in size so as to afiord lon easy access of the birds bill. Said netting may be held upon said board 8 by screweyes 11, for example, while the wires of the opposite edge of the netting are looped loosely about a bail 12, Figure 4, whose ends .are freely .engaged holes ,or sockets 13 therefor in opposite edges .of the board 1 at about one-third of the distance from the lower edge of the same, 1d being a convenient ledge or stop to liml-t t-he downward movement of the bail and thenettn g attached to it.

When set up for .nse1the board 1 1s attached to any support by the ribbon 1n the manner described, then ;upon placing the suet or :other ---material between the board and the netting 10 the :eye v9 of :said board '8 :is hooked over the upperend ofsaid ribbon as shown. "Upon releasing the par-ts the :board .1, acting by gravity, :descends upon the ribbon causing the heard .8 and said netting to straighten ;out or .tend to come in line with one ano her thus clamp ng the .zsuet firmly, the netting {being made to move toward :said iboarcl 1, providing the clamping action. Now, as the mate-rial is fed fromits thicknessis gradually reduc ed and the board *1 constantly acting %;by -the:force v,of gravity, ea-uses {the netting to follow in upon -;the

material, one of the conseqi nt .positions being indicated in broken lines 3m Figure 3,

until even when but a thin portion of the 'said material is left, as showILin [continuous lines in that figure, it avill still be subjected :to the clamping action described, until all as .consumed. It is thus seen that the birds, while given a secure foot-hold by means of the netting, are :at all times able to reach even the smallest particle of the food.

While I may resort to the "force 05f g ity in the operationof the -feeding {(181168 it is to :be understood that it is not my intention to :be confined to :this method of bringing about :the automatic closing of the parts upon the feeding material .by stored energy. It is clear thatithe board 1 .of the type cf device shown herein need not ibe of the full length illustrated Lbut anay be terminated lower down and the feeding material may Ibe zenclosed :between the netting 10 and ;the support 7. But the form shown and described 'is perhaps preferable as presenting a Ileater" and more finished appearance.

The device is readily collapsible so as :to

lie in a compact fiat form for sh-ipment.

I claim:

1. In a feeding device for birds, the .combination of a suspended weighted part adapted to he-moved by :the force of gravity, a two-section second part opposite the first and sup-ported hi-ngedl-y at .one edge independentlv thereof and attached at its opposite edge .to said weighted part, the two parts adapted for clamping between :them a feeding material and also adapted to maintain a constant pressure on said material due to said weight.

2. The combination with a support, of a guide afiixed thereto in an upright position, a part slidably engaging the same, a second part of netting disposed opposite the first, a link ihingedly connecting the "lower end of the second part with the first, and a member hinged at one end to the upper end of said second partand hingedly supported at its other end at the support above the first named part.

3. Therombination with a support, of a guide aflixed thereto in an upright position, a partslidably engaging-the same, a second ,part of "netting disposed opposite :the first,

it link hingedly-connecting the lower end of the second part with the first, meansto limit the movement of the said link in one direction, and a member hinged at one end to the upper .end of the said second part and .hingedly supported at its other end at the support above the first named part.

4. In a feeding device for birds, the combination with a support, a guide mounted thereon ina vertical position, a partslidable upon-and connected with such guide, a second part of wire netting disposed opposite the first .and-hingedly attached at its lower edge thereto, the parts adapted to hold between them a feeding material, and a mem- .ber hinged atone end .to'the upper edge of :the second part and at its other end to the support above "the first named part,the said second part .in the lowest position of the afirst part adapted to lie substantially flat upon the latter and in the raised position of said first part to 11813.1? an angle thereto.

5. In combination with a support, a part adapted for bodily shifting movement verti- 1 .icaally relatively to the support, means to mount the part on the support adapted to permit such vertical movement, a part of foraminous material hingedly attached to one .edge to the first named part, and a mem- 1 her hingedly attached to an opposite edge of the second described part above the place of connection of the two said parts and itselfhingedly suspended above the said parts,

the place of said connection of the said two 1 parts being shiftable with respect to the point of suspension of the said member.

6. In combination with a support, a guide secured thereto and spaced therefrom, a

part engagoable with the guide adapted to 1 1,092,492 o i I r '3 engageable with the guide adapted to move snpport the member above the said first in a vertical plane, a second part having a part, and'a stop carried by the said first part hinged connection at its lower edge to the adapted to limit the extent of movement of first namedpart'and adapted toswlng away the said second part with respect thereto.

5 therefrom, a member above the said second In testimony whereof I aflix my signapart hingedly connected at one edge to the turer 'upper edge of the same, means to pivotally "LEWIS P. KELLY, 

